Burk Uzzle (NC, b.1938), Humming Bird Nest #4

Archival pigment print, 2021, pencil signed, titled, dated, and inscribed "Wilson Studio" to the verso, unframed.

Sheet size 17 x 11 in.

Private Collection of American Folk Art, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Burk Uzzle is a renowned American photographer whose career spans more than six decades. A former Magnum Photos member and the youngest photographer hired by LIFE magazine, he is known for his compelling documentary work on American life, civil rights, and social justice. His famous image of Nick Ercoline and Bobbi Kelly wrapped in a blanket at the 1969 Woodstock festival remains one of the event's most iconic pictures, and his snapshots of Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral are a powerful testament to a pivotal moment in American history.

Returning to North Carolina in later years, Uzzle established his studio in Wilson, North Carolina, where he creates work exploring Southern identity and underrepresented communities. His deep connection to the American South informs his contributions to the Southbound Project, a major photography initiative exploring the evolving culture of the American South.

Uzzle’s work is held in major collections including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; and the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia.

About the Hummingbird Nests series, Uzzle writes: "Hummingbirds weigh less than a nickel. They are three inches long and routinely construct their conical-shaped nests with architectural and engineering precision. Remarkable birds in many ways, these particular nests found themselves in my studio because a neighbor had gifted them to me to photograph. As Covid enabled nature to regain its formidable powers outside while so many of us were sequestered inside, I examined the details of each tiny abandoned nest to again bring to life each form. Suspending each nest on a sheet of glass that was held in place with thin black monofilament thread, I surrounded each of six nests with big strobe lights that are typically reserved for much larger subjects. With digital technology and a large format camera tethered to my computer, I paid homage to nature’s genius. Each photograph took several days." - From Burk Uzzle's website

Very good condition.